The lead recount attorney for U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman reiterated criticisms Saturday of challenger Al Franken’s recount tactics, as well as concern about the neutrality of Secretary of State Mark Ritchie.

Franken’s campaign brushed off the criticism.

Coleman, a Republican, leads Franken, a Democrat, by 206 votes, according to unofficial results. Under law, the office of Ritchie, a Democrat, is heading a state-mandated hand recount of every ballot cast, beginning Wednesday.

Ritchie has promised neutrality, but Fritz Knaak, Coleman’s top attorney for the recount, said Ritchie needs to assure Republicans. “The supercharged environment we’re in leads us to suspect everything,” Knaak said. “Secretary of State Ritchie needs to reassure us.”

The statements are pegged on Ritchie’s shift Friday regarding whether the Franken campaign can ask the state canvassing board, which Ritchie chairs, to consider examining rejected absentee ballots to see whether they were properly rejected. Early last week, Ritchie said no; on Friday, he said the panel would listen to arguments. He refused to express an opinion beyond that.

The Coleman campaign’s criticism of Franken’s tactics came at a Saturday afternoon news conference that essentially restated issues from Friday evening news releases.

“It seems like every day, the Coleman campaign comes up with some new baseless charge,” Franken’s spokesman Andy Barr said in response.

As outdoors editor for the Pioneer Press, Orrick fishes, paddles, hunts, skis and romps across the region while staying on top of outdoors news. When the occasion demands, he's also been known to cover topics ranging from politics to golf. He lives in St. Paul with his wife and son.​

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